An Italian news paper reported that a 45-year-old Sri Lankan immigrant is the prime suspect in his wife's death after her charred corpse, was found in the couple's apartment in Catania, southern Italy.

The Catania-based daily La Sicilia reported that Sarath Moragoda suffered severe burns in the blaze at the apartment in the Sicilian port city on Saturday.

Moragoda's 42-year-old wife Maduri Warnacula's corpse was found with a rope around its neck and ankles, while he had not been tied up, leading investigators to suspect that Moragoda strangled her and attempted to destroy evidence of the murder by setting her body on fire.

Investigators believe the blaze got out of hand and rapidly spread through the small rented attic apartment, trapping Moragoda inside.

Police were questioning the couple's eight-year-old son who was attending religion classes at the time his mother was killed.

Neighbours were cited by the paper as saying the couple had recently been heard arguing inside the apartment.